Opening the way Ahead

Opening the way Ahead

Originally published in Rajasthani as SamhinKhulato Magar

About the Book

This Rajasthani novel “SamhiKhulatoMarag” was originally published by RachanaPrakashan, in 2001, and received a SahityaAkademi award in 2004.

About the Author

Nand Bhardwaj writes in both Rajasthani and Hindi and is a well-known media person. He has contributed a number of books in poetry, fiction, literary criticism and a collection of articles on culture and media. He has been awarded by SahityaAkademi, Bihari Award, BhartenduHarishchandra Award and SuryamallShikharPuraskar. His notable works include Sanskriti, JansancharAur Bazar and Apasdari.

About the Translator

Chandrika Das was born in 1992 in Jaipur. She is a NET qualified gold medalist from the University of Rajasthan. Her areas of interest are feminism and translation studies. Her papers have been published in reputed international journals. She currently teaches at University Commerce College, Jaipur.

Excerpt

This district right in the middle of a sandy stretch does not strike either as a town or as a mere village at first sight. How can one call a settlement a village which extends to two and a half kilometers and which has a population of seven or eight thousand? The settlement has a reasonably good bazaar. There are also big and small government offices. In its northwest there is an open stretch of land formed by the merger of two rain fed rivers spread over some four to five kilometers and which leaves small pits and many wells formed by brackish waters. After the winter this very water is taken out and thrown into small plots of land and which is further used to make salt after it dries. For this to happen severe summer is the best time. For this reason people involved in this work never feel the heat to be unpleasant. This salt is the source of sustenance for thousands of people living in nearby villages.